NINETEEN

 

 

Later that night, Shea bounced along the corridor towards Diego’s room in the infirmary. The inmates had their movie night on a Friday too, though theirs was much earlier. Her comrades waited until after lights out, so the movie didn’t begin until eleven. It was the highlight of the week. Even though it wasn’t mandatory, most everyone made the effort to be there.

Shea’s concern for her friend was still high. Despite being under doctor’s supervision, these macho men didn’t know what was good for them, and she worried Diego would do too much too soon. He’d told her that delivering the reports and movie night was the limit of his duties, and she planned to keep an eye on whether he tried to seek more over the weekend. The good thing was, she was pretty sure she had access to the Laird’s ear, and she didn’t mind whispering in it for the sake of Diego’s health.

It was coincidental that her lover popped into her head at that moment because when she strode into Diego’s room and pulled back the curtain, Raid was the first thing she saw.

Both he and Diego were standing next to the bed that Diego was supposed to be lying in, their backs to the door, files were open and spread on the bed.

The sound of the curtain rattling on its rail made both men turn to look over their shoulders. Shea narrowed her focus on them. “What’s going on in here?”

Her friend exhaled a laugh. “What are you accusing us of?” Diego asked. “We’re just working, not sleeping together.”

Ignoring Raid’s unimpressed expression, she focused on her own displeasure. “That’s sort of the problem. There’s supposed to be a bed involved here, but you two seem happier using it as a desk! How long have you been working?”

“Raid got here five minutes before you did,” Diego said. “We’re reviewing the new inmates. Reading, talking, that’s it.”

As far as Shea was concerned, that was an excuse, not an explanation. “They’re bastards,” she said. “There, that’s all you need to know.”

“Every guy here is a bastard.”

“On both sides of the locks? Well, at least we can agree on something.”

Raid’s attention drifted down her body. “Did I approve that?”

The reminder of her choice of apparel made her own affront lessen. Smiling, she turned left and right, holding open her skirt to show off her dress. “Do you like it? I am wearing panties.”

“Why wouldn’t you be wearing panties?” Diego asked and then held up a hand. “Forget it, I retract the question.”

Gliding forward, she slipped between the men and took a file from Diego. “You know what I don’t like about this guy?” she asked, skimming the sheet she’d read before. “His file says he worked with an accomplice who got away too. How come we’re not holding the other guy?”

Diego bent to speak in her ear. “Accomplice is rich.”

Opening her mouth in an audible gasp, Shea turned her outrage up to Raid. “That’s not really the reason, is it? He bribed you? How much does a man have to pay you to get a free pass on rape? I can’t have sex with a man who condones rape. What if that was me out there? Would you let a man pay you to take advantage of me?”

Raid plucked the file from her hands and put it with the others. “I don’t take bribes,” he said. “Rich means he has better security, means it takes longer to penetrate.”

“Oh,” she said, smiling and picking up the file again. “Well, in that case, I’m not worried. I know how good you are at penetrating.”

Tipping her sultry eyes to his, he still didn’t look impressed, but Diego hid his laugh behind a cough. “So, uh… we going to this movie or what?”

“I’m going to the movie, yes,” she said, flicking through the pages in the file. “Not that either of you asked me to join you.”

“We didn’t?” Diego asked and looked over her head at Raid.

Closing the file, she put it down on the bed. “You guys have lived out here too long,” she said and gathered up all the files into one pile. “I’m going to put these away because I don’t want them lying around in the open.”

“If you’re not here to pick me up, why are you here?” Diego asked.

“To speak to the doctor,” she said. “I had to make sure he was coming to movie night and to remind him that he won’t be there to watch the movie. He’s there to watch you, so if I see his eyes anywhere near the screen I’ll demote him to latrine duty.”

Diego’s amusement flourished. “You know the boss is right behind you, Pest,” he said. “You’re not in charge anymore.”

“Maybe not,” she said, leaning toward him. “But Raid has never seen a dress walking around his compound before, and until he wraps his head around that, I’ll be able to slip a couple under the radar.” Raid didn’t even speak. Diego glanced at him, but she didn’t turn. “And you’re forgetting one of the first and most valuable things you taught me about the Laird.”

“What’s that?” Diego asked.

She swayed back until her weight relaxed against Raid’s arm. “He’s not going to waste energy fighting something he doesn’t give a fuck about. He doesn’t care if I’m mad at the doctor, or at you, as long as the walls don’t cave in.”

Diego couldn’t even argue with that, as he communicated with a shrug. Shea began to retreat. “Where are you going? You’re not coming with us for real?”

“The Laird will be of more use to you if you collapse. I can’t pick you up. I’ll put these away and see you guys over there. I’ll just follow the masses.”

Leaving the men in Diego’s room, she took the files back to the office and put them away as quickly as she could. When she closed the file cabinet in Raid’s office, she was about to leave, but paused to lean over the desk to turn off a lamp.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed a drawer was open, less than an inch. When she tried to push it closed, something stuck in it, so she sat down to pull it open to rearrange the things inside. She pushed a pad aside and her hand paused when she saw what was beneath.

A cellphone.

There wasn’t supposed to be any way to communicate with the outside world in the compound. Her eyes flitted to the door and then back to the device. Why would Raid have a cellphone? Why hadn’t she seen it when she worked in here? The quickest explanation was that he’d had it with him when he’d been off-base. Touching the screen, she didn’t expect it to light up, except it did.

She couldn’t bring herself to pick it up. Instead, she pointed a finger and pressed the home button. To her surprise, it wasn’t locked.

“Oh my god,” she exhaled.

This was a link to the outside world! The internet in the house hadn’t tempted her, she’d known she’d never crack his codes. But, this phone, it was right here, ready for use. She could call Whey, or the New York Times. She could probably email from this thing and let some of her old contacts know that she was alive.

Except, if she used it, she’d reveal her location, reveal the location of the compound to the world. The prisoners would be freed. They’d be declared victims and might even be awarded compensation. Raid, Diego, and the rest of her comrades would be tried and the jailors would become the jailed.

And her. This wasn’t an us and them situation anymore. Shea was an accomplice to the mission. Instead of sounding the alarm when she’d had the chance, she’d run the compound for five days. Alone. No one had been coercing her during her time as Lady.

“Shea?” Startled by the sound of his voice in the doorway, she inhaled at the sight of the menacing silhouette he exhibited. “What’s wrong?”

Rising from the chair, she nudged the drawer closed with her hip, and left the desk to stride over to him. “Nothing,” she whispered, sliding her hands onto his shoulders to pull him down for a kiss. “Fuck me, Raid.”

Stepping back, she proved that she was serious by lifting her skirt to wriggle out of her panties. Dropping them to her ankles, she kicked them aside and grabbed hold of him to angle her kiss, deepening their union.

Raid was still hesitant. “The movie is…”

Without letting go or losing confidence, Shea guided him toward the desk. “We’ll be late,” she said, fumbling with his belt. “Please, it’s after hours. Fuck me, right here.”

Turning around, she swept her arms across the desk, pushing everything from it onto the floor. Hopping onto the cleared space, she pulled him down.

He was starting to relax, but didn’t really sell his next admission. “I like the dress,” he said, skimming his hands up the back of her thighs to squeeze her ass.

“Damn right you do,” she said, grinning when he kissed her throat. “Now take advantage of it, boss.”